The Northwestern men’s basketball team received 15th on the preseason poll, and the women’s team received 19th place. The men’s team started the season last year at 21st in the coach’s preseason poll and were second in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) preseason poll. The women’s team was at fifth in the GPAC preseason poll and were not ranked in the coach’s preseason poll.
Last year, the men’s team finished with an overall record of 25 wins and eight loses, which gave them a win percentage of 75.8. So far in the current season, they have won both of the games that they played, one was 117 to 52 against Tabor (Kansas) and the other was 82 to 69 at William Penn (Iowa).
In terms for honors, Alex Van Kalsbeek was on the first team for all-conference, and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) all-american second team. Dillon Carlson and Craig Sterk achieved second team, and both Kaleb Booth and Zach LaFave got honorable mention. James Bouma got the NAIA scholar athlete honor.
Last season, the women’s team finished with an overall record of 19 wins and 12 loses, which gave them a win percentage of 61.3. This season, they have one win under their belt at 81 to 65 which was against Oregon Tech.
In honors, Molly Schany was on the NAIA third team for All-American in 2024, as well as on the all-conference first team. Hali Anderson got second team for all-conference, and Emily TerWee got an honorable mention. Much of the team also got the honor of being NAIA scholar-athletes, and those athletes were Anderson, Kylie Foss, Lexi Van Kekerix, Maddie Jones, Madison Naig, Maren Nerem and Schany.
Both teams have recruited freshmen that are bound to help the team go far this season. Jalen Langsy on the men’s team is from Shakopee, Minn, and already has 43 points with 58 minutes under his belt. Jesse Van Kalsbeek, also on the men’s team, is from Sheldon, Iowa, and has 34 points, with 41 total minutes played.
The women’s team has one freshman on their roster, which is Maddie Pottebaum, and she has two rebounds with 4 minutes of play. The teams are both full of talent, and leaders, which are bound to help the underclassmen learn discipline.
The Pizza Ranch Classic begins on Friday at 5:00 p.m. in the Bultman Center and goes until Saturday.
